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Polymer (also referred to
as Polymer Clay) is a man-made modeling colored material.
These materials were invented in the mid 20th century, and Artists began
using them for jewelry in the early 1970’s
Elise
is recognized as a leading Artist in polymer jewelry
She considers polymer as a solid form of acrylic, and has innovatively
used both media in her jewelry.
. In
fact the chemistry of those two media is very similar, and that is what
makes the painted surfaces so durable.
The two materials bond when the work is cured.
How does Polymer Clay differ from
Polymer and Clay?
It doesn’t differ from polymer – it IS polymer. Clay just means
modeling
Polymer clay = modeling material made of polymer; paper clay =
modeling material made of cellulose;
precious metal clay = modeling material made of fine silver.
One distinction between polymer clay and ceramic clay is that
polymer cures at about 300 degrees while ceramic fires at 1200 or more.
Because of the frequent confusion, Elise prefers to describe her Jewelry
as polymer, hand painted with acrylics rather than polymer
clay.
When people hear the clay, they assume that the jewelry is heavy
and fragile – while polymer is neither of those.
It is light weight, resilient, and flexible. Also for many people, the
term “polymer clay” evokes hobby craft.
Technique, details
The textures and patterns you
see in my jewelry are unique to my work.
My technique evolved over many years as I combined custom paint formulas
with polymer clay blends.
Tools that I invented allowed me to cut, etch and manipulate the
materials into the distinctive features that mark my design.
I think of polymer clay as acrylic paint
in solid form. Like acrylic paint, it comes in basic colors.
When I begin a series of new work, I mix a palette of the solid color
blocks.
These become variegated sheets that I overlay with luminescent and
iridescent acrylic paints.
The sheets are cut, pierced and assembled as I begin to construct each
piece of jewelry.
The unique textures and patterns reveal themselves as I hand-form each
shape.
After final shaping,
the pieces go into a convection oven for curing and hardening.
During this process, a durable permanent bond between the clay and the
paint is achieved.
Each polymer piece emerges from the oven, strong and resilient for years
Artist's Profile
Elise
Winters grew up in Rochester, New York where her family's metalworking
business nurtured
her drive for designing and building innovative hand-tools for artists.
While earning arts degrees from Syracuse, Montclair and the New School
Universities,
Elise first encountered the mysteries of color and light and the lure of
ceramic clay.
As a professional potter, she loved the malleability of earthenware
clay, twisting and shaping it into full organic forms.
Later, as a photographer, she was seduced by the subtle play of color
and light - by reflection, translucence, the ephemeral colors of the
sky.
Time spent in Japan enriched her studies of ceramics and sumi-e brush
painting.
The Japanese influence, in both its reverence for nature and its respect
for subtlety of design,
has informed Elise's work with luminous polymer clay jewelry.
Her signature pieces of jewelry and sculpture feature a technique she
has come to call "crazed acrylic,"
a subtle combination of polymer with acrylic paints which results in
shimmering colorful surfaces.
Elise
is recognized as one of the world’s leading polymer artists, innovators
and jewelry designers>
Her work illustrated and written about in numerous books and
periodicals.
She curates exhibitions with the purpose of educating the public about
the finest work being done in polymer.
Her
Work has been recognized by Niche awards
A piece was recently acquired in to the jewelry collection at the Museum
of Fine Arts in Boston.
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